Skip to content

Locked Out by the Landlord

Iowa Code § 562A.26 — damages, up to twice the monthly rent in punitive damages, and attorney fees

If a landlord unlawfully removes or excludes a tenant, or willfully cuts off electric, gas, water or another essential service, the tenant may recover possession or end the agreement, and recover actual damages, punitive damages of up to twice the monthly rent, and attorney fees. If the agreement ends, the landlord returns all prepaid rent and the deposit.

  • Iowa Code § 562A.26
Email
Sources for this section (1)
  1. Iowa Code § 562A.26 — Tenant’s remedies for landlord’s unlawful ouster, exclusion, or diminution of service

Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Iowa attorney.

From here

Walked through

This section is the long version of a step in one walkthrough. Each one takes the same law one decision at a time, with both sides of the moment written out.